WIRE: Two major California cannabis trade groups merge

LOS ANGELES — Southern California Coalition (SCC), the largest, most inclusive cannabis industry trade organization located in the world’s largest cannabis marketplace, Southern California, and The Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA), the oldest, continually operating medical cannabis trade organization in the country, announced the two organizations’ boards have reached an agreement whereby GLACA will merge with and into SCC.

With this newly formed agreement, SCC now represents the most pre-ICO and Proposition D-compliant dispensaries (more than 50) in Los Angeles, along with a broad array of industry leaders in cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, delivery, transportation, lab testing, and minority equity.

“We are honored GLACA has agreed to bring its expertise in patient advocacy and depth of knowledge of the cannabis industry to SCC and its members,” said Virgil Grant, president and co-founder of SCC and one of the founders of GLACA. “As the largest, most inclusive unified voice in the world’s largest cannabis market, the strength of membership is enabling us to move important issues forward. Power in numbers is invaluable in any movement, and responsible legalization remains at its core a grassroots movement and a fight for what is right. One of the founding principles of SCC is to listen to our members, fight for their interests, minorities, and communities as we work to implement Proposition M in an inclusive way. By coming together with GLACA and others, we will continue to amplify our efforts in SoCal, Sacramento and across the country.”

“We are excited to join SCC and to have one unified industry voice representing our interests,” said Gregory Meguerian, SCC member and CEO Cahuenga Caregivers, Inc. “SCC guarantees all of its members a seat at the table and makes sure their issues are heard by decisions makers. Together, we will work to promote fair and inclusive policies, economic activity for the City and small business owners, and protect the interests of patients, minorities, and communities. SCC proved its leadership on Proposition M and its model and mission is something we knew we needed to support, and we look forward to encouraging others to do the same.”

“We have been in the cannabis industry for arguably the longest, so leveraging our knowledge of key issues, heritage, relationships, and membership during this critical time will enable us to address key issues and turn them into comprehensive policies and laws—and do so in a way that was previously unachievable,” said Yana Bakshiy, SCC member and CEO of Woodland Hills Treatment Center (WHTC).

SCC is currently working with Los Angeles Mayor Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council to comprehensively lay out the details, timing, and implementation of SCC’s Proposition M—the world’s most comprehensive legalization measure, which passed in March of 2017 with overwhelming support. The measure, which was largely funded by SCC, provides Mayor Garcetti and the Los Angeles City Council with an inclusive and flexible regulatory framework, along with the ability to address issues in real time while fairly licensing, taxing, regulating, and enforcing the City’s state-legal cannabis industry. SCC is also in talks with other City leaders in Los Angeles and is continuing to work to take its Proposition M model out to other cities, counties, and states.

“We created an organized and powerful voice for the cannabis industry that helped to legitimize the sector’s beliefs and principals to the elected leaders in Los Angeles, which ultimately lead to creation of Proposition M,” said Adam Spiker, executive director of SCC. “The need for strength in numbers in the cannabis industry remains crucial to continuing SCC’s practice of advocating for sensible regulation, enforcement, sustainable taxation, and licensing at the local, state and federal level. GLACA has been a great advocate in the fight for change in the City of Los Angeles, but this transition creates another true partnership between every aspect of the cannabis industry under the SCC.”

About Southern California CoalitionSouthern California Coalition is the world’s largest, most inclusive cannabis industry trade organization representing every sector of the emerging cannabis industry in Southern California. Southern California Coalition’s mission is to ensure comprehensive cannabis policies are implemented in an inclusive and responsible way in the world’s largest cannabis market, Southern California.